Studies on the effects of primary therapy for DIC following circulatory arrest.

Comparative studies in early treatment for DIC caused by circulatory arrest were carried out on three groups of dogs during 300 min from the recovery of circulatory arrest: a heparin group, a FOY (gabexate mesilate) group, and a FUT-175 (nafamostat mesilate) group. The parameters employed were platelet count, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial prothrombin time (APTT), fibrinogen, antithrombin-III (AT-III), and fibrin or fibrinogen degradation products (FDP). In the heparin group, there was less of a drop in the platelet count and the level of AT-III than in the control group, but the FDP levels were the same as in the control group. The PT and APTT remained within normal limits in the FOY group and no decrease was observed in either platelet count or AT-III levels. In addition, FDP levels were kept within normal limits. In the FUT-175 group, prolongation of APTT, no decline in the platelet count and AT-III levels, and normal levels of FDP were observed. The results of these experiments indicate the importance of early treatment for DIC. Judging from the parameters, better results were obtained in the FOY and FUT-175 group than in the heparin group.